CVE-2008-5583 in ProjectPier
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in index.php in ProjectPier 0.8 and earlier allows remote attackers to perform actions as an administrator via the query string, as demonstrated by a delete project action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2018
The CVE-2008-5583 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in ProjectPier version 0.8 and earlier, exposing systems to unauthorized administrative actions executed by remote attackers. This vulnerability specifically targets the index.php file within the ProjectPier application, which serves as the primary entry point for user interactions and administrative functions. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the application's query string parameters to execute privileged operations without proper authentication or authorization from legitimate users.
This CSRF vulnerability operates by tricking authenticated users into executing unintended actions through maliciously crafted web requests. When an administrator accesses a specially crafted URL containing malicious parameters, the application processes the request as if it originated from the legitimate administrator. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to perform high-privilege operations such as deleting projects, which can result in complete data loss and system compromise. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser, exploiting the fact that browsers automatically include authentication cookies with requests to the target domain.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of request origins and the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens in the application's request processing. ProjectPier failed to implement sufficient measures to verify that requests were genuinely initiated by authenticated users rather than by malicious actors exploiting the application's trust model. This flaw aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities where applications fail to validate the source of requests. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture, particularly in how it handles authenticated sessions and request validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data destruction. An attacker could leverage this flaw to delete critical project data, modify access controls, or potentially escalate privileges within the application. The consequences are particularly severe for organizations relying on ProjectPier for project management, as the deletion of project data could result in significant business disruption and loss of valuable information. This vulnerability also opens pathways for further exploitation, as attackers might use the compromised administrative access to install backdoors, modify system configurations, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The attack requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers with limited advanced skills.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5583 should focus on implementing robust CSRF protection mechanisms including the use of anti-CSRF tokens that are generated per user session and validated with each request. Organizations should immediately upgrade to ProjectPier version 0.9 or later, where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper implementation of request origin validation and authentication checks. Security measures should include input validation of query parameters, implementation of the SameSite cookie attributes, and regular security audits of web applications. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should also involve comprehensive user education on recognizing suspicious links and ensuring that all systems are updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other applications.